The Lost City [56]
might prove true at heart, even as indications went, but the risk of so trusting him would prove far too great.
"That's just because you haven't known and slept with him, like we have," declared Waldo. "He's red on the outside, but he's got just as white a soul as the best of us,--bar none."
Bruno likewise appeared to think well of the young brave, and suggested an amendment to Waldo's motion,--that he accompany Ixtli into the sunken valley, covered by the friendly shades of night, there to open communication with the Sun Children.
"By so doing, we could make certain of their identity," the young man argued, earnestly. "That, it appears to me, is the first step to be taken. For, in spite of the apparent recognition by Mr. Edgecombe, it is possible that no actual relationship exists."
"What of that?" bluntly cut in the younger Gillespie. "Don't you reckon strangers'd like to take a little walk, just as well as any other people?"
"Patience, my lad," interposed the professor. "While we seem in duty bound to lend aid and assistance to women in actual distress, we can only serve them with their own free will and accord. Granting that the women we saw upon the teocalli were other than those believed by our afflicted friend--"
"But, uncle, look at their names! And don't Ixtli say--tell 'em all over again, pardner, won't ye?" urged Waldo, taking a burning interest in the matter, as was his custom when fairly involved.
The young Aztec complied as well as lay within his power, giving it as his fixed opinion that sore trouble, if not actual peril, awaited the Children of the Sun, unless assisted by powerful friends. He spoke of the mighty chieftain, Prince Hua, and of the high priest, Tlacopa, who was, to all seeming, playing directly into the hands of the 'Tzin.
"He say Mother of Gods call--loud! He say sacrifice, and dat--no, no! Quetzal' send--Quetzal' save--MUST save Victo, Glady!"
Further questioning resulted in but little more information, though, as Ixtli grew calmer, he emphasised such statements as he had already made, elaborating them a trifle. And, by this, his questioners learned that, humanly speaking, the fate of the Sun God's Children depended almost entirely upon the whim or fancy of the chief paba of the teocalli.
Through Tlacopa issued the awesome oracles, and when his voice thundered forth the dread fiat, who dared to openly rebel?
Further questioning brought forth one more important fact,--that there was absolutely no hope of either Victo or Glady coming forth from the valley, either by night or by day. While ostensibly free of will as they were of limb, neither woman was permitted to leave yonder temple, save under armed escort; and guards were on duty each hour of the day and night.
"But we could get to see and speak with them, Ixtli?" asked Bruno, eager to reach some fair understanding as to the future course of action.
"Yes, white brother, go with Ixtli," came the hesitating reply; but then the Aztec caught one of Gillespie's hands, holding it in close contrast to his own brown paw, shaking his head doubtingly.
"No like. Keen eye, dem people. Watch close. Find 'nother white skin--bad!"
"You hear that, Bruno?" asked the professor, really relieved at such positive evidence in conflict with the rash proposition made by the young man.
"Of course I thought of going under cover of the night, uncle, and surely it would not be such a difficult matter to darken my face and hands? With dirt, if nothing better can be found. And if I wore the clothes you brought from the cavern, uncle Phaeton?"
"That's the ticket!" broke in Waldo, eagerly. "Why, in a rig like that, I could turn the trick my own self!"
The consultation was broken off at this juncture by a faint summons from Cooper Edgecombe, and Professor Featherwit was only too glad of the excuse, hurrying over to the flying-machine, finding to his great joy that the exile was now far more like his old-time self.
Still, great caution was used in revealing all, and it was not until considerably later
"That's just because you haven't known and slept with him, like we have," declared Waldo. "He's red on the outside, but he's got just as white a soul as the best of us,--bar none."
Bruno likewise appeared to think well of the young brave, and suggested an amendment to Waldo's motion,--that he accompany Ixtli into the sunken valley, covered by the friendly shades of night, there to open communication with the Sun Children.
"By so doing, we could make certain of their identity," the young man argued, earnestly. "That, it appears to me, is the first step to be taken. For, in spite of the apparent recognition by Mr. Edgecombe, it is possible that no actual relationship exists."
"What of that?" bluntly cut in the younger Gillespie. "Don't you reckon strangers'd like to take a little walk, just as well as any other people?"
"Patience, my lad," interposed the professor. "While we seem in duty bound to lend aid and assistance to women in actual distress, we can only serve them with their own free will and accord. Granting that the women we saw upon the teocalli were other than those believed by our afflicted friend--"
"But, uncle, look at their names! And don't Ixtli say--tell 'em all over again, pardner, won't ye?" urged Waldo, taking a burning interest in the matter, as was his custom when fairly involved.
The young Aztec complied as well as lay within his power, giving it as his fixed opinion that sore trouble, if not actual peril, awaited the Children of the Sun, unless assisted by powerful friends. He spoke of the mighty chieftain, Prince Hua, and of the high priest, Tlacopa, who was, to all seeming, playing directly into the hands of the 'Tzin.
"He say Mother of Gods call--loud! He say sacrifice, and dat--no, no! Quetzal' send--Quetzal' save--MUST save Victo, Glady!"
Further questioning resulted in but little more information, though, as Ixtli grew calmer, he emphasised such statements as he had already made, elaborating them a trifle. And, by this, his questioners learned that, humanly speaking, the fate of the Sun God's Children depended almost entirely upon the whim or fancy of the chief paba of the teocalli.
Through Tlacopa issued the awesome oracles, and when his voice thundered forth the dread fiat, who dared to openly rebel?
Further questioning brought forth one more important fact,--that there was absolutely no hope of either Victo or Glady coming forth from the valley, either by night or by day. While ostensibly free of will as they were of limb, neither woman was permitted to leave yonder temple, save under armed escort; and guards were on duty each hour of the day and night.
"But we could get to see and speak with them, Ixtli?" asked Bruno, eager to reach some fair understanding as to the future course of action.
"Yes, white brother, go with Ixtli," came the hesitating reply; but then the Aztec caught one of Gillespie's hands, holding it in close contrast to his own brown paw, shaking his head doubtingly.
"No like. Keen eye, dem people. Watch close. Find 'nother white skin--bad!"
"You hear that, Bruno?" asked the professor, really relieved at such positive evidence in conflict with the rash proposition made by the young man.
"Of course I thought of going under cover of the night, uncle, and surely it would not be such a difficult matter to darken my face and hands? With dirt, if nothing better can be found. And if I wore the clothes you brought from the cavern, uncle Phaeton?"
"That's the ticket!" broke in Waldo, eagerly. "Why, in a rig like that, I could turn the trick my own self!"
The consultation was broken off at this juncture by a faint summons from Cooper Edgecombe, and Professor Featherwit was only too glad of the excuse, hurrying over to the flying-machine, finding to his great joy that the exile was now far more like his old-time self.
Still, great caution was used in revealing all, and it was not until considerably later